The first PlayStation Network Store update for March brings a big improvement to last weeks update for Europe, where only two new videos were added. This week, Europe has several new additions to the store including new game add-on content, a new XMB theme and lots of new videos and trailers. As for the US, there is lots of new game add-on content and a new downloadable game. In addition, the US have received new videos trailers, a new XMB theme and some new wallpapers. Check out what’s new below.

European Store Additions:

• Game Add-on Content
  • Flow Expansion Pack (£1.99)
• Guitar Hero 3 – No Doubt – Track Pack (£3.99)
• Game Videos and Trailers
  • Uncharted DJ Shadow
• WipEout HD
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Trailer
• Movie and Blu Ray Trailers
• The Pursuit of Happyness
• Reign Over Me
• Perfect Stranger
• Themes
• Graffiti

US Store Additions:

• Downloadable Games
  
  • Rocketmen: Axis of Evil (free demo, US$9.99 full game)
• Game Add-on Content
  
  • Guitar Hero III: Modern Metal Track Pack (US$6.25)
    • Almost Easy by Avenged Sevenfold, The Arsonist by Thrice, and Hole in the earth by Deftones.
  • Rock Band
    • Casey Jones -Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • Sugar Magnolia -Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • Truckin’ – Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • Franklin’s Tower – Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • I Need A Miracle – Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • China Cat Sunflower – Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • Grateful Dead Pack 1 (US$9.99)
• Game Videos and Trailers
  
  • NBA Ballers: The Chosen One Trailer
• Movie and Blu-ray Trailers
  
  • Hancock Theatrical Trailer
  • 21 Theatrical Trailer
• PS3 Themes
  
  • Lost Planet Theme
• PS3 Wallpaper
• Condemned 2: Bloodshot wallpaper (3)

Rumors of the PlayStation Network Store makeover in April have been confirmed by SCEA’s director of Product Development who says "you will see a pretty big change in the PlayStation Network in the early part of April." The new store design has not been unveiled but reports suggest that it will look similar to the Singstore found in the Singstar game.

SCEA’s John Hight said:

"We give [Sony’s PSN team] a lot of feedback based on how our customers are reacting to things, and I think you will see a pretty big change in
the PlayStation Network in the early part of April, where we roll out some new interface stuff largely based on customer feedback.

Simplification, cutting down on the
number of mouse clicks, making it easier to find stuff that you want to
find… that’s kind of an outgrowth of us having more content now, so
we have to make sure that you can get at it easily."

In a recent interview with MCV UK, Ray Maguire of SCEUK revealed some very interesting information regarding the PlayStation 3. The PlayStation 3 has sold over a million units in the UK and has sold faster than the PSOne and PS2. He also revealed that PS3 Firmware 2.40 will include "in-game communication" and is expected in the summer. You read right, he mentioned Firmware 2.40!

Ray Maguire said:

"Achieving one
million PS3 sales faster than both PSOne and PlayStation 2 is even more gratifying considering PS3 is a premium product introduced at a premium price.

Our momentum will continue with the introduction of in-game communication in the summer, firmware update 2.4 and the strongest line-up of games through our third party partners and our own studios. I d personally
like to thank our trade and business partners for helping us on the start of the PS3 journey."

As previously reported, Blu-Ray Profile 2.00 (BD-Live) will also be released on the PS3 in the summer. It looks like the summer firmware version will be the biggest update this year. Lets hope firmware 2.20 and 2.30 have something new to offer too.

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Dylan Jobe, Game Director for Warhawk, recently discussed some of the features from the upcoming booster pack for Warhawk, Operation Broken Mirror. One of the new additions to the game is a new vehicle, the APC, which acts as a mobile base for the team. Players are able to respawn around the APC and also have access to additional equipment. To protect the APC from enemy fire, a bubble shield spanning several hundred feet is also included.

The new booster pack will also contain a new map with ten new layouts in addition to new layouts for the existing maps. The release date for Operation Broken Mirror hasn’t been set yet, but it is expected that the booster pack will be available sometime in mid-April.

This weeks PlayStation Store update is officially the worst update for European PS3 owners. Europe received only two new game videos as part of this weeks update, while the US Store received a multitude of new content including new game add-on content, new game and movie videos, and new XMB themes. Check out the list of new content below and judge for yourself.

European Store Additions:

• Game Videos
  • Haze Boss Speech trailer
  • Conflict: Denied Ops – Dev Diary #4

US Store Additions:

• Add-on Game Content
• PAIN: Scurv Dogg Character ($0.99)
• Rock Band
• March of the Pigs – Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)
• The Collector- Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)
• The Perfect Drug Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)
• Nine Inch Nails Track Pack 1 ($5.49)
• Guitar Hero III: No Doubt Track Pack ($6.25)
• Game Videos
• MLB 08 The Show My MLB Music Video
• MLB 08 The Show Blog Video
• NBA 08 Amare Stoudemire Bio
• Condemned 2: Bloodshot Trailer 1
• Lost Planet Trailer 2
• Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers
• Star Trek Teaser Trailer
• PS3 Themes
• PAIN: Scurv Dogg Theme
• PS3 Wallpaper
• Rocketmen: Axis of Evil Wallpapers (4)

The Blu-Ray Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) update for the PlayStation 3 will arrive as early as May or June, according to an announcement by Sony. For those who aren’t familiar with the features of BD-Live, the new update will allow Profile 2.0 compatible movies to have extended features by going online and looking for related content appropriate to your Blu-ray title. The firmware update will be available once the first BD Live stand alone players hit the market this Summer.

Sony mentioned this little piece of information to Home Cinema Choice Magazine. Most likely, the company was referring to the Panasonic DMP-BD50, which is believed to be the first Blu-ray player to feature BD-Live. In any case, we’ll just have to wait and see if Sony decides to release any more information on this in the few months.

Several rumors have been circling the Internet this week with regards to the PlayStation Home Open Beta, so we thought we would share them with you. According to a countdown on an unknown website, the PlayStation Home Open Beta is scheduled tobegin on March 20th 2008, which is also a Thursday (the day when the PlayStation Network Store is updated with new content). Also, a somewhat reliable Japanese news source has revealed that the Home Open Beta will begin on March 24th in Japan.

Jonnyram, as he is known on the Neogaf Forums, says in carefully chosen words "Home open beta starts 24 March in Japan. Sorry if old." Both these statements are currently rumors, and we await official word from Sony regarding this matter. Just as a warning, don’t get your hopes up!

According to reports on the Internet and sources at Destination PlayStation, the PlayStation Store is finally getting a graphical user interface makeover. The store makeover is planned to arrive alongside Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on April 15. The revamp of the PlayStation Store is said to give it a look more in tune with the SingStore (pictured below) which is already accessible from the PlayStation 3 version of SingStar. The exact details of the change has not been revealed but it is said that navigation would change to a series of icons running along the bottom of the interface. We don’t have official confirmation on this one yet, so consider it rumor for now.

The DualShock 3 release date for the US has finally been revealed. If you haven’t already imported one from Japan, look out for the new controller in stores from April 15th 2008, just prior to the Gran Turismo 5: Prologue release. The controller will be released in Europe around the same time but there has been no official word from Sony. The controller will be priced at US$54.99.

PlayStation Home nears completion as another update is rolled out. Recent reports suggest that there will be a big update next week, which will take the beta to 0.8.3 and will include many improvements. Improvements to the UI and graphics engine mean that Home will look much prettier and be more functional from here on out. You will be able to check who’s online from your friends list as well as who is in Home right now. A bubble machine has been made available to all beta testers, to test the new "Home Items" system. Video streaming is now made possible too, so you don’t have to wait for a video to download completely before watching it.

The Marketplace will also be opened to test the clothes and furniture which can be purchased there. This should also give us a hint of how Home’s economy will play out. Look out for more details on the improvements next week, when the update is complete.